Emjland



(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 1.'

W. s. BRI GE.

FLOATING ELEVATOR- No. 293,625. Patented Feb. 19,1884.

(No Model.) I 5 Sheets- Sheet 3.

W. s. BEIGE.

FLOATING ELEVATOR. v

No.293,' 625. Patented Feb. 19, 1884.

@y I m9.

(No Model.) 7 r I 5 Sheets-Sheet 4.

- W. S. BEIGE. 1

I "FLOATING ELEVATOR. No. 293,625. Patented-Feb. 19,-1 884.

- 5 Sheets-Sheet 5.

M (No' Model.)

W; s. BRIDE. FLOATING ELEVATOR.

Patented-Feb. 19

* NITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

ENGLAND.

FLOATING ELEVATO R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 293,625, dated February 19, 1884;.

Application filed May 18, 1883. (No model.) Patented in England October 7, 1882, No. 4,782, and in Belgium October 8, 1883,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM SOUTHERN BRIOE, of Liverpol,;in-thecounty of Lancaster, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Floating Elevators, of which the following is a specification.

, tong frames, loop-lines on the belt of pulleys for taking in that part of the length of belting not wanted, double elevators in which one elevator elevates into another, suspension-ele,

'part feeding into another .part'hav'e been adopted. Now, my elevator differs from these, in that while the" elevator consists of a single chain of buckets without separate legs or subsidiary elevator, it yet elevates the grain to any required point, instead of to a'lower height,

as the elevator descends. It is best described by aid of the accompanying drawings, in which-: v

Figure 1 is asectional elevation of an elevator fixed to its barge, and of the ships hull, in

which the elevator is seenat work; Fig; 2, a

section of the elevator-band casing with actuating-pulleys; Fig. 3, a front elevation of same;

Fig. 4, a section of easing, showing pulleys with the belt of buckets removed Fig. 5, a side elevation of head-stock of elevator; Fig. 6, a section of same, showingfriction-rollers, through 00 w,- Fig. 7, a plan of head-stock and adjacent parts; Fig.8, a view of elevator stowed away on cradle fore and aft of barge, for removal from one dockor ship to another.

In these A is the ship from which the grain has to be elevated; B, barge with elevator permanently fixed thereon; 0, standard or column supporting elevator. In the drawings this is shown as a cast-iron pillar, but may be made:

To enable one to overcome this, numerous expedients such as lazyof wrought-iron lattice-work in any convenient or suitable manner to make it lighter or more stable. D is the engine for driving the elevator; E, the boiler for supplying steam to engine. F F are winches for raising, lowering, and also retaining the elevator proper in its required position when at work; G, the elevator proper, constructed as follows:

Within frame-work g are mounted on suitable shafts the pulleys g, g g and 9 Over these is passed a'belt or chain, 9*", on which is mounted any required number of buckets, g.

The bearings of the shaft carrying the pulleys are made adjustable. .A carriage, 9, carries' the tension-pulleys g and is provided with the runners g'". This carriage g is mounted on the shaft h, (onwhi'ch the driving-pulleys h and pulleys g are" keyed,) and works freely within the elevator-casi-ng.

H H are slots in the framing g, inwhich the shaft h slides freely.

I is the hopper or spout, into which the grain falls at spout '6 for delivering the grain from elevator onto a traveling band, J, for conveyance to warehouse or other place. The hopper or spout I may consist of a series of the elevator, as shown at z" in Fig. 2. The

movable side piece, 1', is then placed in position, as shown in dotted lines, to prevent the tubes or pipespassed one within the other, as 7 grainfrom spreading and passing off the sides of the door i. This movable side piece, '6 is so formed that it clips the side of the spout or hopper I, and is supported by the pin i the drawings.

at one end and attached to the head of the column C at the other. By such an arrangement as this the grain from the vessel could be discharged by a slide onto another flat or barge lying alongside that on which the elevator is fixed. This, however, can be arranged as circumstances may require, and is not shown in The sides of the elevator G are provided at the bottom with the slits g", for the admission of grain to the buckets 9.

K is the horizontal frame-work cradle or jib for supporting the elevator proper, G, and is so connected at to the head-stock, by means of vertical trunnions or journals 0, that it permits of the framing K being raised or lowered to any suitable angle to suit the requirements of the elevator proper, G, and also allows the elevator to be stowed away upon the said frame-work cradle when actually not working.

Between the sides of the framing K are mounted a series of rollers, k, for supporting the elevator when stowed away. The frame work K is carried in the bracket 7: the upper portion, 7. of which is prolonged to serve as a tension-post, to which the tension-rods L are attached by means of the adjustable links 75. The lower end of the bracket L is mounted on or coupled to the trunnions c of the headstock 0, which permits of the framing being placed at any required angle.

On the framing K are mounted the pulleys k and if, (for adjusting and retaining the elevator in position,) and also the bearings 7: for carrying the shaft 71 To compensate for the varying width of ships and the distance of the hatchway from their sides, I may arrange a telescopic slide at the outer end of the frame-work K, so that the end of K may at all times be brought as nearly as possible over the center of the hatchway. This I do not showin the drawings, as I make no specification for such a modification of the frame-work cradle.

In order to allow the elevator G and fram ing K to be swung or moved radially round to any position, I arrange thetop of the pillar or column 0 as follows: On the top of the column O is mounted a head-stock, 0, provided with the trunnions 0, also the bearings for carrying the small rope-pulleys 12 0. Through the center of the head-stock c is, passed (and screwed into the column 0) the vertical pin 0, on which the headstock c rotates, below the headstock c,and resting on the top of the col.- umn is the ring 0", containing the anti-friction rollers This ring a" is also retained in position by means of the pin 0', and allows the head-stock c to revolve freely. The headstock 0 and ring 0 are secured onto the top of the column by means of the nut and washer c.

The mode of action is as follows The elevator and framing are swung round so as to be transversely to the barge I3, which has been previously placed abreast the hatch on the off side of the ship A to be discharged, and the elevator proper, G, is projected along the frame-work cradle K, (the end of which is over the hatchway) until the elevator proper, G, is drawn (by means of a rope, L, and block attachedto the ships rigging, said ropeL serving as a stay for steadying the elevator when at work) into the position shown at Fig. 1. The elevator is pivoted on the driving-shaft h, and is retained in any desired position by means of the ropes M and N, which pass over the pulleys c" c k if from the winches F, and are attached to the elevator, respectively, at m and a, and after it has been guided into the hatchway it is then set in motion, and gradually sinks as the bulk cargo is elevated and discharged from the buckets into the hopper I. Motion is conveyed to the elevator-buckets g from engine D through pulleys O and chain-wheels F and I by means of belts or chains Q and R, to pulleys h and g", thence to the buckets on belt or chains 9''. The shaft 71, passing through the slot II, and carried in bearings k on the frame-work K, permits the elevator G to be raised or lowered at pleasure without affecting the driving, and whatever position the elevator may assume, the chain of buckets is kept perfectly tight by being passed over the tension-pulleys g on the carriage 1 (which is also attached to the shaft h,) and pulleys g, as shown in Fig. 2. The blocks and ropes shown at S are for adjusting and retaining the horizontal frame-work cradle K. Vhen the discharging of the grain is completed, the elevator is raised out of the hatchway, and by means of the rope M is drawn onto the framing K, which is then moved round by head stock 0 until the elevator and framing are in a longitudinal position with regard to the barge, when the ropes S are slackened, and the elevator and framing lowered into position shown at Fig. 8. The barge may then be moved alongside the next vessel to be dis charged.

I am aware that an endless chain has been connected directly to a stationary tower in such manner as to swing both vertically and horizontally about the same, and also that an endless-chain elevator has been connected with adjustable supports of various kinds. I believe myself, however, to be the first to attach an elevator adj ustably or movably to the end of a frame which is in turn arranged to swing both vertically and horizontally about a stationary tower or standard. I also believe m yself to be the first to provide an endless-chain elevator arranged to slide and swing bodily about a driving-pulley which acts upon the chain at an intermediate pointin itslength.

I claim as my invention 1. In a floating elevator, the vertical tower or standard, the frame arranged to swing both vertically and horizontally upon the said standard, and the endless elevator attached to and adjustable vertically with respect to the overhanging cnd of the frame, all combined substantially as described.

2. In a floating elevator, the combination of the pillar or standard, a supporting-frame connected to said standard in such manner as to swing both vertically and horizontally, and an elevator, substantially as described, connected to the outer end of said frame, and adjustable vertically thereon by means substantially as described.

3. In a floating elevator, the combination of the tower or standard-the frame movable vertically and horizontally about the same, and the elevator connected to the end of said frame by means substantially as described, adapted to permitthe elevator to be raised and lowered, and also varied in inclination with respect to the supporting'frame. I

4.. In a floating elevator, the combination, with a fixed supporting-frame, K, of an upright elevator having an endless chain of buckets, substantially as described, said elevator being movable in a vertical direction with respect to the frame, and driving-pulleys h, for said elevator, mounted on the supportingframe, whereby the vertical adjustment of the elevator is permitted without affecting the action' of the'driving mechanism.

5. A floating elevator formed of a floating base, a column, a frame-work cradle or jib jointed to same, so that it can stand at any required angle, and an elevator-frame hung from a column, 0, a frame, K, pivoted to same, so'

the said jib, but capable of being stowed away,

' lying flat upon said jib, Without disconnecting 1 the driving mechanism, substantially as described.

6. In afloating elevator, the combination of lowered while the sh aft remains stationary, and

elevator driving-pulleys mounted on said sh aft, substantially as described.

8. The combination of an elevator, G, formed of a slotted frame-work, belt or chainof buck-' ets, and the requisite pulleys and driving-shaft h, working in slot of frame, with carriage g and system of pulleys thereon carrying the belt of buckets, and driving same without'any other contact than a sliding or'iolling one with the frame-work.

9. The slotted elevator G, suspended by chain or rope N, but free otherwise to descend, and driven by shaft h, passing through the longitudinal slot in the elevator-frame.

10. The combination of slotted elevatorframe G, the chain of buckets, the drivingshaft h, passing through the slot, and the carriage 9 carrying the driving and tension pul leys, and carried itself by the shaft h.

11. In an elevator-frame, the driving mechanism consisting of a driving-axle driven by wheels h, and carrying driving-wheels g and a carriage, g, which in turn, on spindles in suitable bearings, carries tensionvpulleys g and runners g".

12. In combination with an elevator, the driving-pulleys g carrying-pulleys g and g, tension-pulleys g and deflecting-pulleys 9 substantially as and'forthe purposes specified. 13. In an elevator, the combination of the upright endless chain of buckets g", mounted in a vertically-adjustable frame, the supporting-pulleys g, guide-pulleys g, pulleys 9*, arranged to deflect the chain inward below the pulleys g, and thespout i entering between the pulleys g and g, as described and shown, whereby the delivery of the grain from the buckets into the spout is insured.

14. In combination with an upright elevator having an endless chain of buckets, as described, a spout or hopper, I, affixed to the front of said elevator, and a series of pivoted doors, 2', mounted in the front of said spout or hopper, and each adapted for adjustment as a spout or deflector, whereby the delivery of the grain may be effected at any required point in the length of the spout or hopper.

15. In combination with the frame K, the

elevator containing an endless chain of buckets supported upon said frame, and adjustable thereon, both as to height and inclination, and a telescopic hopper or chute having one end affixed to the upper'end of the elevator, and the opposite end afiixed to the supportingframe, whereby the delivery of the grain at a fixed point is secured, notwithstanding variations in the position of the elevator. 16. The combination of the pivoted elevator-frame G, the guiding-ropes M and N, attached to opposite ends of same, and leading to winches, and the guide-pulleys k? and k, placed near opposite ends of the horizontal or oblique-lying frame K, carrying said elevatorframe, all for the purposes specified.

17. The pivoted head-stock 0, free to rotate horizontally on the column G, and carrying pulleys c and e", and the trunnions c, for pivoted bracket and its frame or jib K, substantially as specified.

18. The frame-work cradle or jib K, formed with a straining-post, k, and tie-rods 70*, and a bracket, 70 immediately below the straining-post, fitted with bearings, so that the said jib can freely oscillate on the journals or trunnions of said bearings, for the purposes described.

WVILLIAM SOUTHERN BRIOE.

- Witnesses:

' W. P. TnoMrsoN,

J NO. T. BROWN. 

